1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a highback for gliding sports, such as snowboarding, and, more particularly, to a highback with independent forward lean adjustment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Snowboard binding systems for soft snowboard boots typically include an upright member, called a xe2x80x9chighbackxe2x80x9d (also known as a xe2x80x9clowbackxe2x80x9d and a xe2x80x9cSKYBACKxe2x80x9d), that is contacted by the rear portion of a rider""s leg. The highback, which may be mounted to a binding or a boot, acts as a lever that helps transmit forces directly to and from the board, allowing the rider to efficiently control the board through leg movement. For example, flexing one""s legs rearward against the highback places the board on its heel edge with a corresponding shift in weight and balance acting through the highback to complete a heelside turn.
Known highbacks generally include an upright support member formed with a pair of lateral ears that are employed to pivotally mount the highback in a heel-to-toe direction along a mounting axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the binding or boot. In some instances, the highback may also be mounted for lateral rotation about a substantially vertical axis, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,170, which is assigned to The Burton Corporation, to accommodate a particular stance angle of the binding relative to the board.
A snowboard rider""s leg is generally held by the highback at a forward angle relative to the board for balance, control and to ensure the rider""s knee is bent for better shock absorption, particularly when landing jumps. To hold the rider""s leg in such a stance, the highback is typically inclined relative to the board in a position referred to as xe2x80x9cforward leanxe2x80x9d. A desired amount of forward lean is set by pivoting the highback in the toe direction about the mounting axis and adjusting the position of a forward lean actuator along the back of the highback so that it engages a portion of the binding, typically the heel hoop, to prevent movement of the highback in the heel direction beyond the desired forward lean angle.
A rider may find it desirable to lock the highback in an upright riding position on the binding to prevent toe-edge travel relative to the board for enhanced board response. An example of a binding incorporating a locking device to prevent toe-edge travel of a highback is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,136, which is assigned to The Burton Corporation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved highback.
In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, a highback is provided for use with a component, such as a gliding board binding, a boot or a binding interface, that interfaces with a rider""s leg and is supportable by a gliding board. The highback comprises an upright support member that is constructed and arranged to support a rear portion of the rider""s leg. The support member includes a lower portion and an upper portion movably supported by the lower portion. The lower portion is constructed and arranged to mount the highback to the gliding board component about a mounting axis. The upper portion is adjustable relative to the lower portion in a plurality of positions to vary an amount of forward lean of the highback. The highback further comprises a forward lean adjuster that is attached to the upper portion to maintain the upper portion in a selected one of the plurality of positions to fix the amount of forward lean of the highback.
In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, the highback comprises a ride/relax actuator that is coupled to the upper portion and the lower portion of the support member. The ride/relax actuator has a ride mode and a relax mode. In the ride mode, the upper portion is fixed in a predetermined forward lean position relative to the lower portion to prevent leg movement in a heel direction beyond the forward lean position so that leg movement in the heel direction is transmitted through the highback into the gliding board component. In the relax mode, the upper portion is unrestrained relative to the lower portion so that leg movement is permitted in the heel direction beyond the forward lean position.
In a further illustrative embodiment of the invention, a snowboard binding is provided for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard. The binding comprises a baseplate that is mountable to the snowboard and is constructed and arranged to receive the snowboard boot, a heel hoop supported by the baseplate, and a highback pivotally mounted to the baseplate about a mounting axis. The highback includes an upright support member that is constructed and arranged to support a rear portion of the rider""s leg. The support member includes a lower portion that is pivotally mounted to the baseplate about the mounting axis and has a heel cup configured to hold a heel portion of a boot. The support member further includes an upper portion that is pivotally supported by the lower portion about a forward lean axis to vary an amount of forward lean of the highback. The forward lean axis is spaced from the mounting axis and located in close proximity to the heel hoop.
In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, a snowboard binding is provided for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard. The binding comprises a baseplate that is mountable to the snowboard and is constructed and arranged to receive the snowboard boot, a heel hoop supported by the baseplate, and a highback pivotally mounted to the baseplate. The highback includes an upright support member constructed and arranged to support a rear portion of a rider""s leg. The snowboard binding further comprises a first locking feature disposed on the highback and a second locking feature disposed on an inner surface of the heel hoop adjacent the highback, the second locking feature being constructed and arranged to engage the first locking feature to prevent toe-edge pivoting of the highback.
In a further illustrative embodiment of the invention, a forward lean adjuster is provided that is mountable to a highback for use with a gliding board component that interfaces with a rider""s leg and is supportable by a gliding board, the highback including a lower portion and an upper portion movably supported by the lower portion, the lower portion having a pair of mounting location for mounting the highback to the gliding board component with the upper portion being adjustable relative to the lower portion in a plurality of positions to vary an amount of forward lean of the highback. The forward lean adjuster includes a first end that is pivotally connectable to one of the lower and upper portions and a second end that is adjustably securable to the other of the lower and upper portions to maintain the upper portion in a selected one of the plurality of positions to fix the amount of forward lean of the highback.
In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, a snowboard binding is provided that comprises a baseplate, a heel hoop supported by the baseplate, and a highback pivotally mounted to the baseplate about a mounting axis between at least an upright riding position and a collapsed position. The baseplate is constructed and arranged to receive a snowboard boot and is mountable to a snowboard. The heel hoop includes a first forward facing surface. The highback includes an upright support member that is constructed and arranged to support a rear portion of a rider""s leg. The support member includes a second forward facing surface that is substantially flush with the first forward facing surface when the highback is pivoted to the upright riding position so that the snowboard boot engages the first and second forward facing surfaces of the heel hoop and the support member.
In a further illustrative embodiment of the invention, a snowboard binding baseplate is provided for mounting a highback to support a rear portion of a rider""s leg. The binding baseplate comprises a base that is mountable to a snowboard, a heel hoop supported by the baseplate, and a locking feature disposed on an inner surface of the heel hoop. The locking feature is constructed and arranged to engage with a portion of the highback to prevent toe-edge pivoting of the highback.
In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, a highback is provided that is mountable to a snowboard binding baseplate having a heel hoop. The highback is pivotally mountable to the baseplate about a mounting axis. The highback comprises an upright support member that is constructed and arranged to support a rear portion of a rider""s leg, and a locking feature that is disposed on a rear surface of the support member. The locking feature is constructed and arranged to engage with a corresponding locking feature on an inner surface of the heel hoop to prevent toe-edge pivoting of the highback.